So the January grind begins with every sale being celebrated and almost any offer being accepted. Hopefully January payday should see an increase in buying activity but for now tea and biscuits are the order of the day.

In this week’s edition, an idea to drum up some extra trade and tidy up your eBay shop along the way, and a few of the eBay traders used by Molly that might be worth a look.

[For admin details for this newsletter, please scroll down to the end.]

1. EBAY 101 – TIRED LISTINGS

It was a big housekeeping week at HQ with inventory checks galore. It is quite surprising how inaccurate records can become during the hectic Christmas season.

One of the many chores delegated to an Elf was to check how many listings had failed to live up to expectations and needed revising or scrapping altogether. Thankfully eBay help out with this task.

To discover which of your listings have not produced any sales in the past 16 months just follow these simple steps:

log on to your My eBay page.

click on the link to your ‘active’ listings.

towards the top on the right is a ‘customise’ link, click on this.

ensure the ‘ebay note’ box is checked (has a tick in it).

scroll down your list or use the status pull-down menu option ‘without a recent sale’ until you see the ebay note – ‘This listing hasn’t had any sales in the last 16 months. Please consider revising it.’

revise or cancel as you see fit.

I spotted quite a few obscure items that I had forgotten about, some were cancelled and others had their prices revised downwards or the ‘best offer’ option added. This resulted in two quick sales, they all count.

Consider also adding the ‘get it fast’ first class postage option.

2. MORE THOUGHTS ON FEEDBACK REMOVAL

“Happy New year Mollbol,

tightsite got your latest book in his Christmas Stocking – just about to start into it – got a free e download as well! [Ed - nothing if not value for money.]

On the subject in this week’s Bulletin “Can I remove feedback”, I had an interesting incident back in November where a customer (now securely blocked) purchased some leg wear from me and, as they claimed, laddered shortly after they put the item on!!

They decided to leave me negative feedback – the only negative in 5 years – saying that tights laddered and therefore I must be selling “seconds” !! Not even a message to say this had happened, and could I do something about it, just straight into the negative!! Could this be a competitor trying to bowl me out?

My heart rate increased and I had to be restrained!! My hosiery comes straight from point of manufacture to me, no sub-standard products tolerated, or even received – ever!

I went straight on to eBay live chat with a customer services rep, explained what had happened, and stated that such a comment would be damaging to my business. I have to say that the Rep immediately without debate just removed the feedback without any further request or even suggesting the need for consultation with the buyer, I was pleased and relieved and impressed. Really didn’t think it would happen.

It may just be worth any sellers that feel that they have been unfairly represented by negative feedback, going immediately on to live chat and stating their case. If they have a good past record, eBay may just come down on their side. Worth a try!”tightsite

I hate it when that happens, usually just before I am going out for the evening.

Good point about the appeal, it is always worth a quick phone call. The last problem I had suggesting my cosmetics were fake was removed but I had to fill in a ‘notice of false and defamatory content’ form which was a pain so it is nice to hear that eBay do sometimes just act.

3. VAT – AGAIN!

She sells (or rather used to sell) E-Books but if this petition is correct in what it maintains she now is no longer able to do so as she isn’t VAT registered and has no desire to subject herself to what could become an administrative nightmare.

Even though you are VAT registered it’s not clear from the piece whether someone on the fixed-rate scheme such as yourself is affected or not.

To be honest I have no idea how flat rate registered traders will be treated under this new regime. On the face of it my non-registered businesses look to be better off than the registered one but I can’t believe there will not be any dues to pay – not long until the Jan bills are available.

If you can shed any light on the new VAT rules please contact me at the usual address, as I am lacking in coffee time reading.

4. ASK MOLLY – WHO SUPPLIES YOUR EBAY ESSENTIALS?

A general question this week as I am often asked which eBay traders supply Molly HQ with the essential supplies. Now not everybody will get excited by the prospect of cheap 6″ square single wall boxes, although why not escapes me.

These are some of the traders Molly uses on a regular basis, hope they are of interest:

If you have a question about eBay or home working in general, please send it to me at the usual address. I will reply personally to every email I receive and, remember, there are FREE copies of my book available for the best questions, tips or stories.

– END NOTE –

Thought for the day. If fuel in the UK is at its lowest price for many years with the big oil companies laying off staff and no likelihood of an upsurge in oil prices for the foreseeable future then why does the Royal Mail still charge its OBA customers a fuel surcharge for parcels?